1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a clutch pedal assembly and, more particularly, to a method for attaching a clutch pedal assembly to a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a clutch and clutch pedal assembly is only necessary in a vehicle with a manually shifted transmission, while no clutch and clutch pedal assembly is necessary in a vehicle with an automatic transmission. In changing gears of a manual transmission, the driver deactivates the clutch by depressing the clutch pedal assembly which is operatively attached to the clutch. Typically, the clutch pedal assembly is located in the passenger compartment on the cowl panel on the driver""s side just above the floor panel and adjacent to the brake pedal assembly.
In a vehicle having an automatic transmission, it is sometimes desired to add a clutch and, thereby, a clutch pedal assembly to thereby convert the vehicle into a manually shifting application using a manual transmission. There are methods known for attaching a clutch pedal assembly to a vehicle to make this conversion. In particular, it is known to use an existing brake pedal assembly for both the automatic and manual transmission applications by adding a clutch pedal assembly to the brake pedal assembly when converting from an automatic transmission application to a manual transmission application.
However, the known methods in the related art for attaching a clutch pedal assembly to a brake pedal assembly are typically complex and require unique support bracketry. Furthermore, such methods require multiple parts and, therefore, involve much cost, labor, complexity, weight, development and design time. The packaging of a clutch pedal assembly using these known methods is also complex. As such, the known methods for attaching a clutch pedal assembly to a brake pedal assembly are operationally inefficient and costly to perform.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a method for simply attaching a clutch pedal assembly to a vehicle for conversion from an automatic transmission application to a manual transmission application.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the related art pertaining to a method and apparatus for putting together a clutch pedal assembly with a brake pedal assembly for conversion from an automatic transmission application to a manual transmission application. The brake pedal assembly includes a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to the front of the vehicle""s cowl panel within the passenger compartment. Specifically, a support shaft for the brake pedal extends between opposed sides of the mounting bracket. The method of adding a clutch pedal assembly includes extending the brake pedal support shaft and mounting a clutch pedal upon the support shaft such that the support shaft eventually supports both brake and clutch pedals.
The method further includes the operation of axially extending the support shaft in its longitudinal axial direction laterally outward with respect to the vehicle so that the shaft""s outward end engages a side extending wall of the cowl panel. Simultaneously with the aforesaid outward axial movement, the shaft is also rotated. The end of the shaft which engages the side cowl wall is configured as a drill-bit so that it bores a hole through the side cowl panel. This action results in the shaft end extending through the side cowl panel which provides support for the outer end of the shaft.
The attachment method of the present invention for the clutch pedal assembly simplifies the addition of a clutch pedal assembly to a brake pedal assembly when a conversion from an automatic transmission application to a manual transmission application is desired. The method could also be applied to original assembly of the vehicle where a quantity of manual transmission applications are necessary. Since the brake pedal assembly provides support to one end of the shaft and the side cowl panel provides support for the opposite end of the shaft, this method and apparatus does not require a separate mounting bracket for the clutch pedal assembly.
As a result, one advantageous feature of the clutch pedal assembly attachment method of the present invention is simplification of the process of converting from an automatic transmission application to a manual transmission application.
Finally, these advantages are achieved in a clutch pedal assembly that is operationally efficient and cost-effective relative to the complex methods and assemblies proposed in the related art.